Database snapshot and backup management with recoverable chains

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10713124-B2
Application number	US-201715819373-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2017
Priority date	Nov 21, 2017
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

Methods and systems for recovering databases and other applications with reduced downtime using recoverable chains are described. When protecting or backing up a database, an integrated data management and storage system may capture snapshots of the database at a snapshot frequency (e.g., at 15 minute intervals) and acquire database transaction logs that include data changes of the database at a frequency that is greater than the snapshot frequency. The integrated data management and storage system may generate a particular point in time version of the database by identifying a recoverable chain that comprises a combination of one or more database snapshots including the snapshot closest to the recovery point and one or more database transaction logs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operating a data management system, comprising:
acquiring an instruction to restore a particular version of a database from a computing device;
identifying a first recoverable chain including a first set of snapshots and a second set of update files, the first set of snapshots includes a first snapshot corresponding with a first version of the database, the second set of update files includes a history of data changes made to the database between the first version of the database and the particular version of the database;
generating the first version of the database different from the particular version of the database using the first set of snapshots;
identifying a second recoverable chain including a third set of snapshots and a fourth set of update files, the third set of snapshots including a third snapshot corresponding with a third version of the database, the fourth set of update files including one or more database transaction logs with a history of data changes made to the database between the third version of the database and the particular version of the database, wherein the first set of snapshots is captured prior to the particular version of the database and the third set of snapshots is captured subsequent to the particular version of the database;
determining a first combined disk size for the first recoverable chain;
determining a second combined disk size for the second recoverable chain;
detecting that the first combined disk size is less than the second combined disk size;
generating the particular version of the database in response to detecting that the first combined disk size is less than the second combined disk size; and
transferring at least a portion of the particular version of the database to the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first estimated time to generate the first recoverable chain;
determining a second estimated time to generate the second recoverable chain;
detecting that the first estimated time is less than the second estimated time; and
generating the first version of the database subsequent to detecting that the first estimated time is less than the second estimated time.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first estimated time to acquire the first set of snapshots and the second set of update files;
determining a second estimated time to acquire the third set of snapshots and the fourth set of update files; and
generating the first version of the database in response to detecting that the first estimated time is less than the second estimated time.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first number of files for the first recoverable chain;
determining a second number of files for the second recoverable chain; and
generating the first version of the database in response to detecting that the first number of files is less than the second number of files.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of update files includes a database transaction log with a history of data changes made to the database subsequent to the first version of the database.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of update files includes a database transaction log with a history of data changes made to the database prior to the first version of the database.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the second set of update files comprises a plurality of database transaction logs.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving additional data changes to the particular version of the database while transferring the at least a portion of the particular version of the database to the computing device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the computing device comprises a hardware server;
the first snapshot comprises a full image snapshot of a virtual machine; and
the generating the first version of the database includes patching one or more incremental files to the full image snapshot.

10. A data management system, comprising:
one or more hardware processors and executable instructions accessible on a computer-readable medium that, when executed, cause the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:
identifying a first recoverable chain including a first set of snapshots and a second set of update files, the first set of snapshots includes a first snapshot corresponding with a first version of a database, the second set of update files includes one or more database transaction logs with a history of data changes made to the database between the first version of the database and a second version of the database;
identifying a second recoverable chain including a third set of snapshots and a fourth set of update files, the third set of snapshots including a third snapshot corresponding with a third version of the database, wherein the first set of snapshots is captured prior to the particular version of the database and the third set of snapshots is captured subsequent to the particular version of the database;
determining a first combined disk size for the first recoverable chain;
determining a second combined disk size for the second recoverable chain; and
generating the particular version of the database in response to detecting that the first combined disk size is less than the second combined disk size.

11. The data management system of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a first estimated time to generate the first recoverable chain and determine a second estimated time to generate the second recoverable chain; and
generating the first version of the database in response to detection that the first estimated time is less than the second estimated time.

12. The data management system of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a first estimated time to acquire the first set of snapshots and the second set of update files; and
determining a second estimated time to acquire the third set of snapshots and the fourth set of update files and generate the first version of the database in response to detection that the first estimated time is less than the second estimated time.

13. The data management system of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining a first number of files for the first recoverable chain; and
determining a second number of files for the second recoverable chain and generate the first version of the database in response to detection that the first number of files is less than the second number of files.

14. The data management system of claim 10 , wherein:
the second set of update files comprises a database transaction log with a history of data changes made to the database subsequent to the first version of the database.

15. The data management system of claim 10 , wherein:
the second set of update files comprises a database transaction log with a history of data changes made to the database prior to the first version of the database.

16. The data management system of claim 10 , wherein:
the computing device comprises a hardware server; and
the first snapshot comprises a full image snapshot of a virtual machine.

17. The data management system of claim 10 , further comprising:
receiving additional data changes to the second version of the database from a second computing device while at least a portion of the second version of the database is transferred to the computing device.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable medium for storing instructions that, when executed by one or m

Assignees

• Rubrik Inc

Inventors

• Luo Jiangbin
• Wong Christopher

Classifications

• G06F11/1469 Primary

  Backup restoration techniques · CPC title

• G06F2201/84

  Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data · CPC title

• G06F2201/805

  Real-time · CPC title

• G06F2201/82

  Solving problems relating to consistency · CPC title

• G06F2201/80

  Database-specific techniques · CPC title